


Heart of Jade

by jsaint34



Series: Sith Empire [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Star Wars Setting, Gen, Sith Leia Organa, Sith Luke Skywalker, Sith Mara Jade
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-02
Updated: 2017-11-02
Packaged: 2019-01-28 05:55:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,129
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12599700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jsaint34/pseuds/jsaint34
Summary: Part two of what is now a series.  This is the second one shot following the events of Jedi Extinction.  Luke has been Darth Zulkus for several months and become feared throughout the Galaxy, until a new enemy emerges, furious at Skywalker for the death of her Master, Emperor Palpatine.  Little does Mara Jade know that it wasn't actually Luke who killed the Emperor, as he had already become a Sith Lord.  Leads to a confrontation between Darth Zulkus and the Emperor's hand which leads to unforeseen consequences for both.





	Heart of Jade

**Author's Note:**

> Another dark Star Wars story where Return of the Jedi ended differently and the Sith rule the Galaxy. I wrote this and it's predecessor in hopes of breaking my writer's block, so I can get back to my Avengers and Hawaii 5-0 stories. Time will tell if I was successful and new chapter get posted for those other works. As always only the plot herein is mine, I own none of the characters and this was written for fun, not for profit and no infringement was intended. Again feel free to leave feedback, just be constructive with it. Thank you and enjoy.

Mara Jade awoke in a cold sweat. This is not the first night where nightmares have plagued her. Though she does not fear sleep, the nights are when Palpatine’s last command always echoes in her head. From her earliest years she had been trained in the ways of the Force by the Emperor, rising through the ranks to become his deadliest assassin. Darth Vader was his Apprentice, but she was there to ensure that Vader remained subservient. Her training led to one very important mission and that was the death of Luke Skywalker. Now six months have passed and she still hears her former Master call for Skywalker’s head. She has had many travels in trying to track down the Jedi and got word of Palpatine’s death only recently. Darth Vader had brought Skywalker to the Empire and reports of the Jedi’s death were in abundance over the holonet in addition to reports of Palpatine’s.

From those reports a new Sith Lord rose in power as Darth Vader’s apprentice. Known as Zulkus, Mara knew that Vader had betrayed the Emperor in his own quest for power. Not long after, she also learned that the Imperial Senate had an Empress holding the Galaxy together and using her influence to outright slaughter any remnants of the Rebellion still fighting. This Empress was known as Xatae, and the former Emperor’s hand knew that she too was imbued with the Dark Side of the Force. Fate may have robbed Jade of the chance to kill Skywalker, but she could still have vengeance for her fallen Master.

Mara spent months making contacts in both the new Empire and the dwindling Rebel Alliance under false identities. She gained all the knowledge she needed to track her enemies while preparing herself for a confrontation. During those months she developed a grudging respect for Empress Xatae considering she was just as if not more ruthless than Palpatine himself. But the Empress was not her primary target, Vader and Zulkus were. Darth Vader was well known in the Empire and she had performed assassinations for him on many occasions while spying on him for the Emperor. 

Zulkus was an enigma though; no one could tell her where he came from, how he had become the newest Sith Lord or even his motivations beyond destroying the Rebel Alliance. All she had learned was that he was cunning, and immensely powerful. More importantly she knew that she would potentially have to fight them both together. Then word reached her of a mission Zulkus was personally undertaking and her chance seemed to have finally presented itself. With Lord Vader attending the Imperial Academy Graduation, his apprentice was tasked with traveling to Ossus in an effort to retrieve the Jedi Archives from the temple before destroying the former haven of the light side. She knew the hyperspace routes better than anyone and also that barely anything remained of the Temple, from her prior mission from Palpatine. This is where she would make her stand to claim the title that she felt was rightfully hers.

Mara arrived under cover of darkness, landing her ship on the outskirts of the city. From there she used her speeder bike for the final leg of her journey and stationed herself in what used to be the Council chambers. She didn’t know how long she would have to wait for her enemy to arrive, but a feeling of the Dark Side gathering alerted her to the fact that she wouldn't be kept waiting long. While she had been trained by the first Sith Master in generations, she knew how powerful the Dark Side was when a user embraced their anger and hatred, but the power she felt was far greater than any Force Adept she had encountered and was only outmatched by that of her Master. She knew instantly that this was Zulkus and ignited her lightsaber once, the crimson blade shrouding her face in darkness before deactivating it again.

As he entered the atmosphere of Ossus, Darth Zulkus could feel the light side of the Force clawing at him. The power he felt disgusted him, and he centered himself on his own powers, pushing back at the spirits of Jedi that had died centuries ago. Piloting his TIE Interceptor towards the Temple, he sensed the presence of another Force user, and his anger swelled at the thought of killing another Jedi. However, as he began landing procedures, the power he encountered had no connection to the light, and he knew his unknown enemy was another Dark Side adept. In that moment he knew this person was there to challenge his title, and take his place. He would not allow that.

“Palpatine fell before the power of my Father and I, you have no chance.”

The Sith Lord exited his ship, his black robes flourishing in the wind that accompanied his entrance into the Temple. With his hood up, he purposefully strode to the Council chambers where the Force signature of his enemy awaited his arrival. As he continued his approach, he could now feel that this Adept was a female, and one with power that nearly rivaled his own. He could sense her thoughts and knew she believed she would emerge victorious from their impending confrontation. Her confidence would be her undoing.

“You have come far across the Galaxy, seeking relics in an abandoned Jedi Temple. Sadly you made this trip for nothing Sith pretender.”

“You would be wise to reconsider your words, woman. I am Darth Zulkus, apprentice to the Lord Darth Vader, and it was by our efforts that Emperor Palpatine was destroyed.”

“I know who you are. I have followed your path of death these past six months. I know of your power with the Dark Side, it will be no match for mine as I was trained by the Emperor himself.”

Rage filled the Sith Lord’s eyes as this woman challenged him and revealed from whom she had been trained. As she stood, she threw back her hood to reveal hair as red as fire and a cold gleam in her eyes. Zulkus had now seen her face and as such removed his own robe before igniting his lightsaber. A sinister laugh escaped her lips as she realized who she would be fighting.

“The Force does smile on me. My Master’s final command was for me to kill you. Luke Skywalker, prepare to meet your destiny from Mara Jade…The Emperor’s Hand.”

“You are gravely mistaken in your confidence, Emperor’s Hand. Luke Skywalker is long since dead. The only one meeting their destiny this day will be you.”

Mara deigned to no longer speak, instead igniting her own crimson blade and propelling herself across the chamber with the Force. The speed with which she approached would have impressed Zulkus had he not expected this, his blade crossing hers as she landed in front of him. From there the battle began in a blood red dance as the two fought in shadow throughout the Temple. Every time her enemy deflected her saber attacks she could see his yellow eyes glaring at her. She saw the snarl cross his face which then turned into a vicious growl as he pushed her back. She fought as hard as she could, but soon realized she was on the losing end of this war. She was strong with the Dark Side, but her affinity for the Force paled in comparison to the Sith Lord’s rage. 

“You have overextended yourself Mara Jade, such a fatal mistake to challenge a true Sith Lord.”

With a perfectly executed strike, Mara’s saber was dislodged from her hand and she fell to her knees, preparing for her end. Zulkus looked down on her, his anger and rage still burning in his eyes. Slowly he lowered his saber to her neck, preparing to kill her, believing she would beg for mercy. But she didn’t, and he could feel anger emanating from her that paralleled his own. In that moment, he deactivated his weapon, shocking his enemy as she looked up.

“The Emperor trained you well. Tell me Mara Jade…what exactly was your purpose here?”

“Revenge against Skywalker for killing my Master. Palpatine took me in, taught me the power of the Dark Side. He was more than just my Master, he was my family. And you and Vader took that away from me. Skywalker or not, you deserve all of my hatred.”

“And your hatred is justified. If you wish to continue this pointless battle, I would be inclined to indulge you. However, you already know that our battle would end with your death.”

“Then kill me and be done with it. I have failed my Master. Finish me off.”

“No. You have great power, and an even greater control of the Dark Side of the Force. Destroying one such as yourself would be a waste of an asset. If you die here, valuable Dark Side knowledge would be lost forever. The Rebellion is the verge of total obliteration. You can play a hand in that; Jade. In my teachings I have learned that it is the Sith way to crave more power. All that remains is for you to make a choice.”

Zulkus turned his back on Mara, making no moves to attack her, even going so far as to encourage her to retrieve her lightsaber. When she did, she stood there with her hand on the activation switch, killing her enemy would be too easy with the opening he gave her, but in that moment, as badly as she wanted to, she couldn’t. Instead, she clipped her lightsaber back to her belt. She didn’t think it possible, but the Council chamber became even darker in that instant. The Dark Side flowed off of the Sith Lord, and she could feel his power merging with her own. As their energy combined she felt a lustful passion ignite inside her, and she knew what her choice would be.

“I never left the Empire, My Lord. And I know my quest for vengeance is foolish. I wish to return to Coruscant with you. My Master would never have allowed me to become a true Sith; Darth Vader was always his prized Apprentice.”

“And Lord Vader adheres to the Rule of Two. But as I do, he values every asset he can find. You will have a place in the Empire, Mara Jade. Stand by my side.”

“I will, and I will help you crush the Rebellion, Lord Zulkus.”

Mara bowed her head to the Sith Lord, thus reclaiming her position as an Imperial Agent. While she would no longer be known as the Emperor’s Hand, she would gain more power than Palpatine had ever allowed her to have. She could feel it as her strength with the Dark Side continued to combine with that of her new Master.

With his mission complete and the lack of Jedi archives on Ossus, Darth Zulkus flew his TIE Interceptor to the landing site of Mara’s ship. She had already arrived and was preparing for take-off when he joined her. Together they docked in the hangar bay of his Star Destroyer for the journey to Coruscant. The journey would take several hours from the Outer Rim through hyperspace, so he took this time to begin increasing Mara’s abilities in the Dark Side.

“You have great anger, Mara. But you have yet to completely immerse yourself in it. Along with your hatred you must be willing to accept these emotions. You were once the Emperor’s most trusted assassin, adhering to the mission above all else. This is why I defeated you. Had you faced a fully trained Jedi, you would have been beaten far quicker than with your loss to me. Forget the mission, I would almost go as far as to say forget revenge, instead, focus all of your being on the loss of your family. The anger and hatred will flow through you, creating an even greater connection to the Dark Side.”

Mara did as instructed and let her desire to complete the mission of Skywalker’s death fall to the wayside. The Jedi’s death would always be the endgame, but she needed to embrace her rage and hatred for the man who had killed her Master. As she focused less on why she wanted Luke dead, and more on causing his death, she closed her eyes. Zulkus’ training room was silent except for the snap-hiss of two lightsabers igniting. In her mind Mara was not seeing her Master, but seeing Skywalker. She saw his haughty face, his calm demeanor, and she hated how he could be so peaceful and composed after taking her Master’s life. 

She could feel how Luke felt through the Force, as if he was superior because he had done what five other Jedi failed to do in killing the Emperor. In the depths of her soul, her anger and hatred for all Jedi swelled and she knew this was Zulkus projecting what he thought would bring about her darkest impulses, and he was successful as her lightsaber clashed with his. As their second battle began, the Sith Lord could sense Mara accepting her anger and the room darkened with the Dark Side energy they unleashed. She pushed herself past her breaking point and for a moment her eyes opened and they were pitch black. 

The battle raged for what felt like hours but was really only minutes, but both combatants knew that since she had already been trained in the Dark Side, Mara was able to embrace the power it gave her in a shorter time frame than Xatae had. But the end result was the same, and a new Lady of the Sith had been born. When their battle finally concluded, Mara’s eyes had also taken on the Sith colors as her anger solidified her power. 

“Welcome Mara Jade, welcome home to the Empire.”

“Master Zulkus, I am no longer Mara Jade, Emperor’s Hand. I may not yet truly be Sith, but I choose a new name befitting my station at your side. I wish to be called Lady Sarea.”

After their long battles and the choice of a new name, the two former enemies could once again feel their passion ignite through their powers. While anger and hate caused their battle, those emotions paled in comparison to the passion and lust they now felt drawing them together. Both still had their lightsabers in hand, but both weapons were dropped as Sarea swayed her hips and moved her body in closer to that of Zulkus. With a long journey still ahead of them the two Dark Side Adepts gave into those passions and put aside their initial paradigm of Master and Apprentice to instead become lovers.

Across the Galaxy Lord Vader could sense all the events that had transpired for his son and knew that the future he had foreseen would come to pass. Though angry with Zulkus at first for the confrontation with the Emperor’s Hand, he was pleased that the woman would be a powerful addition to the Empire and their family. As such he and Xatae waited after the Imperial Senate dismissed for the interim and Zulkus’ Star Destroyer entered Coruscant’s orbit. Soon enough his shuttle touched down outside the Senate Rotunda, where the Sith Lord and his consort would soon enter Xatae’s office. The Empress was seated at her desk with her Father standing by her side as the two entered. Zulkus bowed his head to his Father while Sarea kneeled in reverence.

“Mara Jade…formerly the Emperor’s Hand, welcome to Coruscant.”

“Lord Vader, I pledge myself to your teachings and completely to the Empire. In my travels across the Galaxy I have followed the holonet and the reports of your masterful destruction of the Rebellion.”

“You may dispense with the flattery Mara Jade; I have no use for it.”

“Of course, Master. But Mara Jade is dead. Her petty quest for revenge was foolish as Lord Zulkus showed me. And as you said, I am no longer the Emperor’s Hand. Palpatine held me back from achieving my true power. His death has set me free and I will stand by Lord Zulkus’ side as we destroy the last remnants of the Rebellion.”

“And I approve of your relationship with my Son. Lord Zulkus chose well when he helped you embrace the true power of the Dark Side, now no one can hold you back. Rise; Lady…”

“…Sarea, my Lord.”

As the months passed the Empire grew stronger under the leadership of Empress Xatae. Lord Vader continued his mission to eradicate any Jedi he found that had survived Order 66 as they still attempted to restore the Order and end the Sith once and for all. Zulkus and Sarea became the two most feared pilots in the Galaxy and were even more feared when they set foot on any planet and their crimson blades worked in tandem as they eliminated the last vestiges of the Rebellion. After so many years of Galactic Civil War, the Empire had finally won. 

With two years of unprecedented peace, Zulkus and Sarea married, and she gave birth to twins, a boy: Tsuron, and a girl: Xara. Both were born strong with the Dark Side of the Force and already were destined to become the next Sith Lord and Lady. 

But this peace was not meant to last as invaders from outside of the known Galaxy attacked with a powerful armada. They were known as the Yuuzhan Vong and were unaffected by the Force nor did they seem to be a living part of the Force. While the casualties on both sides were extensive, the Empire was more powerful than their enemies and drove the invaders back to the unknown regions. To prevent another invasion, Darth Vader followed them with the 501st legion of Stormtroopers and sealed the Galaxy off with his powers. 

With the loss of their father, Darth Zulkus became the next Sith Lord as Lady Sarea reigned by his side. Though Lady Xatae had chosen to no longer be Empress, she still devoted her daily life to the study of the Dark Side while she trained Xara as her Apprentice. Likewise Tsuron trained under his father as Zulkus had done with Lord Vader. In the end, the Galactic Empire had once again transitioned into a new Sith Empire that succeeded where the original failed. Before Darth Bane instituted the Rule of Two, all Sith turned on each other in a quest for more power. This Sith Empire was infinitely stronger and much more stable as the key to ascension was no longer just a power play; it was a family of the most powerful Sith that lasted for generations.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys, thanks for reading this series and leaving kudos. While I'm not sure how I came up with the inspiration to write a Luke turns to the Dark Side at the end of Return of the Jedi, subsequently joins with Vader, and converts Leia as well, and then Mara in the sequel, I hope you all enjoyed. Writing these two stories has helped me break some of my writer's block, and I have a question. I don't know if anyone has taken to crafting a full length Sith Lord Luke Skywalker story on the Archive, but would anyone like to see me continue this as a stand alone multi-chapter? I kind of have a few ideas to do so, but I'd like to hear the reader's thoughts. Comment on either Jedi Extinction or Heart of Jade and let me know.


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